Odd And Interesting

The brain continues to reveal little mysteries and idiosyncrasies that help us to better understand human behavior – especially around our less than stellar choices and vices. Alcohol, drugs, soda, food – these are all known triggers for pleasure centers of the brain. As is online gaming, so it is really no surprise that social media is also addicting. According to a team at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, the networking sites available at the touch of a button could be even more addicting than nicotine or alcohol. Consumers engage in social media through the unlocked cell phones, tablet, iPod and MacBook devices

Retrevo conducted an exceptional report on Social Media use.... truly this is The Mobile Generation:

Social Media All Through the Night

Not only do social media fanatics check Facebook and Twitter throughout the day, almost half of the respondents said they check in on the social media scene in bed, during the night or as soon as they wake up in the morning. Naturally, younger social media users said they tweet by night more than
those over 25.

Need more evidence that social media can be habit forming? How about the fact that 56% of social media users need to check Facebook at least once a day? Even more impressive are the 12% who check in every couple of hours.

Just to round out the picture, the Gadgetology study asked consumers how they felt about being interrupted at various times and occasions for an electronic message. With everyone texting away on their phones these days, we weren't surprised to see over 40% of respondents saying they didn't mind being interrupted for a message. In fact, 32% said a meal was not off limits while 7% said they'd even check out a message during an intimate moment.

Will Twitter Kill the Morning News Shows?

Among social media users, it appears almost half are so involved with Facebook and Twitter that they check in the first thing in the morning. With 16% of social media users saying this is how they get their morning “news,” could we be witnessing the first signs of social media services beginning to replace "Good Morning America" on TV as the source for what's going on in the world? Can they also provide more stimulation than a morning cup of coffee?

Another study was in Germany where the 205 participants were polled through BlackBerry smartphones seven times daily where they had to note if they’d had an urge to use social media in the past 30 minutes and if the participant succumbed to the desire or not. They were also asked to rate the severity of the desire on a scale of mild to “irresistible.”

The full results will be published in the Psychological Science journal, but the preliminary data shows that compared to other addictive behavior, the highest rate of “self-control failures” were in conjunction with social media.

According to the team lead of the study, Wilhelm Hofmann, “Modern life is a welter of assorted desires marked by frequent conflict and resistance, the latter with uneven success.” With traditional addictions, the downside is clear: weight gain, death, monetary loss, damaged relationships. Social networking is more sinister, innocuous, and incredibly accessible. But the downsides are potentially still there in the form of lost time, and frayed relationships (because let’s be honest, how many conversations are conducted on Facebook while sitting on the couch next to a significant other).

So what’s the answer? With tablets, cloud storage, smart TVs and smartphones our connectivity is set to reach an all-time high. The consequences of compulsively checking a social networking site while driving are more clear-cut than intangible time-suck. So if you count yourself as one of the addicted, Bluetooth headset technology solutions and innovative car accessories could be necessary purchases for your handset.

Express love and Gratitude for dear ones: Why not gift something to Parents, Grandparents or anyone else who are special to you? Say you love them with a selection of top quality, innovative mobile devices protective solutions and premium electronic accessories from the industry's most leading brands .

Pamper yourself at a Spa: There is a saying that you need to love yourself first be able to love others. Spend the day by pampering yourself at a Spa. Get a massage, a facial, pedicure, hair cut or even a makeover and feel special and pampered!

Party at Home: Are there other Single friends you normally hang out with or good friends whom you have not met for some time? You can organize a Singles Party at Home and have a blast with likeminded friends.

Go out with friends: Organize your single friends and go out together for movie, play, concert, clubbing, beach or anywhere you all can have fun together.

Do a Service: There are many people who are not as privileged as we are and it is our moral responsibility to do something for them. Why not visit an orphanage or old age home and spend time with the inmates there? You can also do things like adopting a Pet or getting involved in a good cause. Giving gifts and roses to old or sick people can be a wonderful way to express our gratitude to God for all the blessings we have in our lives.

Eat out at your Favourite Restaurant: Go to your favourite restaurant with your other single friends or alone and eat whatever you like.

Go out on a Road Trip: Is there a special place you have wanted to go? Plan a Trip alone or with friends visiting the place. Or you can explore an unknown territory on your vehicle. It could be anywhere - a temple, a picnic spot, tourist destination or anywhere you can reach within a few hours and also return back on the same day.

Get Adventurous: Are you adventurous? Do you like Sky diving, rappelling, camping, Bungee jumping, parasailing or things of that sort? Go ahead and enjoy an adventure with friends or alone.

Do things you love: Are there things you love to do or are passionate about but normally do not get the time to do it? Is there a new hobby which you are interested in? Do it or get started on the Valentine’s Day.

Whether you are a Single by choice or single and searching, you can make your day special by indulging in some of the ideas given above. There is nothing to be depressed about being a single. I have tons of friends who are single and happy than many of the married couples I know. Still, if you are Single and frustrated on a Valentine’s Day because you do not have a mate, I would advise you to stay positive and take good care of your health and physical appearance. Who knows by next Valentine’s Day you may not remain a Single anymore.

I just love sharing with my readers... the various product survival tests that manufacturers put their various brands through to help ensure that they live to their specified high standards.

Here we got a hold of three separate BlackBerry produced by Ryan P. a hardware Engineering Technician at RIM... these are the Water Test, the Drop Test and the Bend and Flex Test:

The Water Test

For the water test a BlackBerry Curve 9360 was dropped into water, or what they call the “Moisture Ingress Test”. This water contains dye so that they can tell where imperfections are in the design to “improve the device’s water seal”.

The actual drop test is cool and apparently every Berry gets dropped on concrete “hundreds of times” to ensure it’s ready for a full rollout. In the video it’s never states the amount of pressure that used for the bend test, but does confirm “your BlackBerry smartphone can withstand the pressure of your posterior”.

Finally, the keys. Majority of BB users love the QWERTY keyboard – it’s one of the main reasons that makes a BlackBerry so “iconic”. The keys have been pushed, zapped and tested “literally millions of times to sure they click with the right pressure and can withstand all the e-mails, BBM messages and tweets that you type. Have you ever been shocked by a door handle… RIM zaps them with what is called an Electrostatic Discharge, or ESD, to make sure that the sensitive internal components are protected.”

You may want to brace yourself... for your smartphone and mobile devices are a petri dish accommodating and sustaining a thriving micro bacterial ecosystem. Dreadfully frightening isn't it?

In 2009, the prominent journal "Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials" conducted a study wherein they tested the various cell phones brands (iPhone, Blackberry, Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Nokia, Sony, LG, etcc..) of 200 of their staff members. The results were alarming a whopping 94.5 percent of the devices were severely contaminated with various bacterial strains - many of which were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Moreover, the study yielded that over 60% of the bacteria thriving on the phones were ultimately transferred to the users.

When one considers that most users take their cell phones with them everywhere... including the bathroom. A startling 95% percent of common folk admitted to routinely using their mobile device, cell phones, tablets, laptops, notebooks and other media playing devices during toilet sessions... you can discover the statistics from a study conducted by 11 Mark in my previous blog on 'Cell Phone and Bathroom Usage'.

Microbes have been existing long before any other life form appeared on our planet. Their inherent ability to thrive and multiply in adverse conditions and hostile environments has fuelled their prolific growth and widespread presence throughout the world. Studies indicate their propensity to subsist in both highly populated regions and on public surfaces. Our entire bodies as well as public bathrooms, phones, computers, park benches, restaurant kitchen counters and tables are all ideal hosts harbouring a magnitude of microbe strains - with paper currency being found to have one of the highest concentration of bacteria. As such, it is plain to see that we are engaged in a true germ warfare... protecting our physical health against bacterial invasion.

Wireless devices are excellent breeding grounds for bacteria... as they generate the requisite heat which helps promote and facilitate breeding. Furthermore, the majority of people do not think of routinely disinfecting their mobile devices, to this end, typical cell phones and mobile devices have more bacteria than toilet seats. I would highly recommend protecting both their devices and ultimately themselves with iSkin protective accessories' revolutionary Microban technology. Built-in to products during the manufacturing process, Microban antimicrobial product protection inhibits the growth of microbes such as bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains , embarrassing odors and deterioration of both cell phones and other mobile devices.

It was also reported that while older flip phones have more nooks and crannies for bacteria to hide in, the flat touch screens of current smartphones are not immune to bacteria. Numerous studies have found colonies of streptococcus, staphylococcus and diphtheroids on people's cell phones. And there's even been one reported case of a person contracting an MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) infection – a so-called flesh-eating bug – from a phone. Now that is downright nasty!

For the most part, though, the bacteria that reside on your smartphone and mobile devices come from your own skin and mouth. It's other people's germs you have to worry about; think about that the next time you set your phone down in a public place or share your phone with someone. You're taking in their germs, as well as the bacteria they've picked up just by using their cell phones out in world. You're not only touching the phone, but also everyone and everything that phone has touched.

For those of you loyal readers who have been following and reading my blogs.... you no doubt noticed my propensity to provide you with industry and market statistics and information.

Keeping with this tradition, I came across a study - IT in the Toilet conducted by 11 Mark "View Infographic"... according to this report, we shouldn't be surprised if we hear a toilet flush in the background while on the phone with friends or colleagues; as a whopping 3 out 4 in America use their cell phones while in the bathroom.

Approximately the same number of men and women have used the phone in the bathroom, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans... although men seem more tethered to IT in the toilet: 30 percent of men versus 20 percent of women agreed with the statement, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone."

Since only 14% of respondents reportedly cleanse their phones after a toilet session... I would highly recommend protecting both their devices and ultimately themselves with iSkin protective accessories' revolutionary Microban technology. Built-in to products during the manufacturing process, Microban antimicrobial product protection inhibits the growth of microbes such as bacteria, mold and mildew that can cause stains , embarrassing odors and deterioration of both cell phones and other mobile devices.

More than half the surveyed users (63 percent) said they have answered a phone call in the bathroom, and almost half (41 percent) reported initiating a phone call. That's not all, however: What goes on behind the walls of the stalls is anything a mobile phone is capable of. Sixty-seven percent said they have read a text, and 39 percent have surfed the Web. Men work more from the bathroom—20 percent said they have participated in work-related calls, versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.

As expected, Gen Y respondents are the pacesetters in the "mobile everywhere" movement, with 91 percent using their phone in the bathroom. Still, older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X reported using the phone in the bathroom, as did 65 percent of Baby Boomers and 47 percent of the Silent Generation.

While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. The study indicates that 87% of Droid users (Motorola Droid RAZR, Samsung Galaxy S 2, HTC Amaze, LG Optimus 2X) and 84% of Blackberry users (Bold 9900 Touch, Bold 9790 , Curve 9370) followed by 77% of iPhone users are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.

"The writing is on the stall," said 11mark principal Nicole Burdette. "This study confirms what we all know: that the last private place is no longer private."

During the Nixon administration the United States did the unthinkable and moved its currency off the gold standard. In the following decades, how we use money has continued to shift and change most notably with technology. The internet has made the world marketplace truly global and has made money again more abstract than tangible with wire transfers, online shopping, and faster payment authorizations with credit and debit cards.

This evolution of money exchange has continued with smartphones and apps. Which brings us to the pertinent launch at CES: moneto, the world’s first multi-platform mobile platform mobile wallet. Brought to us by Device Fidelity and Spring Card Systems, this service will bring NFC capabilities to any Android device such as the Samsung Galaxy S 2, the Motorola Droid RAZR and the Sony Xperia in tandem with microSD card.

The specialized encrypted microSD card has both an NFC radio and antenna that bring MasterCard PayPass technology to the gambit of Android devices out on the market. This means the capability to pay on the go and add funds to prepaid accounts with direct deposit, ACH transfer, or third party money transfer services like Western Union or PayPal.

iPhone customers also have great moneto options available to them. There is a unique iPhone protective case that will bring this same capability to iOS users sans microSD card. It is now available to iPhone 3, 3GS, 4, 4S users and retails for $80. This does include $10 in pre-loaded funds for customers to begin their fast pay adventures.

For Google Android users, the microSD card will be available in two or three weeks and be a bit easier on the wallet at $30. To take advantage of this technology, pop in the encrypted card, slap on a small NFC sticker to the inside of your battery case (this boosts the NFC signal) and transfer funds to free yourself from credit cards and make mobile payments. For Android users this also means freedom to enhance mobility and turn their device into a power tool! Discover select accessories such as; stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to make devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

Today's lifestyle is becoming increasingly more connected and 'on the go'... from the stay-at-home mom, to the student to the business executive. More and more consumers are exploiting mobile devices and in particular smartphones as pocket PC's and quickly exhausting power supplies. Currently the only true mobile charging solution are car chargers; which severely limits the global market from becoming 'versatile and unrestrictedly mobile'. These power user are clamoring for dual purpose protective carrying bags/charging solutions. It is no wonder that this year’s Customer Electronics Show saw a huge amount of interest in the “Powerbag"... which offers this built-in versatility and convenience.

This technological line of bags combines form and function with iPhone, microUSB, and regular USB ports to help us ensure our various smarthpones, tablets, and media players don’t go without a charge and you don’t go without a tech appendage. And for anyone who has been in a situation where a dying smartphone can lead to a missed conference call, unsent email, or any number of other mishaps, these bags can be a lifesaver. These unknowns make a great case for being prepared whether it is having additional memory cards on hand or investing in a bag that will keep you up and running.

Depending on the size of the bag, the interchangeable batteries are available in 3000, 6000, or 9000mAh cells. These battery cells can also be purchased separately for backup power and added hours of charge which is great for some of the larger bags that allow for as many as four devices to charge at once. To take advantage of power sources when available, the bag itself is rechargeable by plugging it into a wall outlet.

In addition to juicing up our mobile devices away from home, this power system is smart and will provide the correct voltage according to the device plugged in. Not only is this a great safety feature, this ensures fast, optimal charging speeds and has us geeked to see the product in person to play and see what other selling points we will find.

Discover the latest innovative protection solutions... stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes. Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.

At the moment, the retail cost for the bag (not including spare battery cells) will be generally in the range of $140 and$200 USD. While not yet on the market, the prototypes are going to be made available to review in a few weeks.

Let’s be honest, the latest hero device from the Nokia cell phone line-up, the Lumia 900 wowed spectators at the CES. From the keynote Microsoft address that showed an impressed audience the fruits of its partnership with Nokia and how the device works with Microsoft peripheral devices like the Xbox. The stellar performance of the Nokia Lumia 900 was duly recognized by CNET which named the smartphone as its category winner at the 2012 CES.

The move from Symbian to Windows mobile OS and the added bonus of BlueStack’s technology which will bring Android apps to those customers has sparked excitement and hope into both Nokia and Microsoft that 2012 will bring a 180 degree shift in sales and market share.

What is better news is that the vague announcement that the Nokia Lumia 900 will be available in “the next few months” may be whittled down to a more accurate date if the rumor mill is based in any kind of truth. Even more reliable is that the March 18th date is being bandied about by Windows gurus Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley. These two “all about Windows” people came together to work on TWiT and discuss March as the release month in the latest Nokia developer newsletter.

Mister Thurrott is apparently not one for vagueness by making it clear that the Nokia Lumia 900 will be released precisely on March 18th. Hopefully his crystal ball or tea leaves are accurate as anxious customers are bound to seek out this sleek unlocked cell phone as soon as possible.

Surely the smartphone manufacturer will make more accurate announcements that will include date of availability, the cost, and start touting more of the peripheral accessories that will heighten the handset’s popularity and longevity in a fickle, competitive and ever changing mobile tech market.

If variation is the spice of life, Samsung is adding vanilla to its tablet spice rack for its Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the Galaxy Tab 7.0 . Scheduled to hit the North American market sometime in the coming months, the major question is what new features and major upgrades are to be expected besides the color change?

Well… nothing. The specs for both the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus are to remain the same. Whether this translates into a difference in price for the tablets is yet to be seen, but customers with the current black version should have no worries about their existing Galaxy Tablet's innovative protection solutions... stylish bags, sleeves and casesspecifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes. Moreover the tablets are also designed for compatibility with other such docking stations and micro SD memory cards.

Some people may balk at this announcement saying that there is already a white version of the Galaxy Tab device, but it is only the rear of the tablet that is white. The front is still black bezel for those currently available in the US and Canada.

With the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus cell phones, there will undoubtedly be continued demand for its tablets as well. This eventual variation is bound to please customers who enjoy the Android device but simply want the cleaner look of the all-white offering. Another, more cost effective option is to personalize the look of the device with award-wining design protective cases and skins that deliver modern style, stunning design and smart protection Make your mobile devices stand out. Customize your look - how cool can you be?

When Apple launched the iPhone 4S there were plenty of bystanders that were disappointed that the latest smartphone was not the elusive iPhone 5. The silver lining is that this prolonged release has given plenty of fodder for the tech gossip mill as we all speculate if the next generation iPhone will be drastically different.

Latest reports note that Apple’s upcoming device will be slimmer than the iPhone 4S and iPhone handsets and will also strut some new tech as well. The iPhone 5 may have a quad-mode chipset from Qualcomm that will work on all 4G LTE and 3G networks which has the implication of making this unlocked cell phone device more widely available across mobile carriers.

Giving credence to these details is a BGR exclusive last month that reported Apple’s intention to launch a completely redesigned iPhone in the fall. It will have an aluminum case and a rubber or perhaps plastic bezel that will protect and cover a new wrap-around antenna. Possibly more dependable accounts came from Morgan Stanley’s analyst, Katy Huberty, who noted that Apple sent a communication to clients last Friday. Those statements assured that Apple’s business will continue to grow even with a slowing demand for high-end smartphones. There is no question that the company’s strength is in its iTunes, iCloud and other proprietary technologies that marry customers so closely the OS platform.

Included in Huberty’s comments was the mention of Apple’s next generation tablet, the iPad3 which is slated to launch at some point in the first half of the year. With traditional pricing strategy in play, the iPad2 will be lowered in cost to attract additional customers to the iOS platform and to Apple’s strength in the tablet market.

Surely these new smartphone and tablet devices will come with revamped and original peripheral accessories. Leaving your valuable mobile devices unprotected is risky! Discover the latest innovative protection solutions... stylish top brand bags, sleeves and casesspecifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes. Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.